Day 334- Nutrition Bite

Chocolate Eclairs

Pastry:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup unbleached white flour
3 large eggs

Filling :
1 (6 serving size) box sugar-free instant vanilla
or chocolate pudding

Chocolate Icing:
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup mashed banana
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 cups instant powdered milk

In a medium-size saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Turn heat to low. Add flour and mix with a spoon until mixture becomes a cohesive ball. Remove pan from heat. Using an electric mixer or mixing by hand, add 1 egg at a time and beat until thoroughly blended and smooth. Continue to add 1 egg at a time, beating well. Mixture will be shiny and smooth. Drop dough by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. For each eclair, place 2 tablespoons dough with 2-inches in between. Spread each to tablespoons to form 1 x 4-inch rectangles. Smooth top and sides with a knife to mold uniformly shaped logs. Leave 4 inches between each eclair. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes until well browned. Remove gently with a spatula to wire racks to cool.

Prepare pudding as directed on box.

In a small saucepan combine butter and water. Bring to a boil over low heat.

Meanwhile, beat together mashed banana, lemon juice and vanilla extract until creamy. Add cocoa and powdered milk. Beat thoroughly. Gradually add boiling water mixture and beat thoroughly after each addition so mixture is smooth and without lumps. Additional hot water may be added for a thinner icing.

To assemble eclairs, slice tops off horizontally and set tops aside. Scoop out any wet pastry and discard. Spoon prepared pudding into eclairs. Replace tops and spread with chocolate icing.

NOTE: Fill eclairs just before serving so that the pastry remains crisp and light.

Day 333- Nutrition Bite

Whole foods best
Molasses and honey may be slightly better than refined white sugar, but it's always better to eat whole foods, said Mark Kestin, dean of the School of Nutrition and Exercise Science at Bastyr University north of Seattle.

"Nutritionally, the general principle is the least processed the better. You're better off eating a date than date sugar, but probably better off eating date sugar than white sugar. It depends on quantity," Kestin said. "If we all went around eating whole sugar beets and sugar cane, you would not only get sugar, but fiber and nutrients."

Sugar Preacher's Experience

Dates are great! They can be great sweet substitutes especially if you are not getting any real dates in you life. Dates have been cultivated for 6000 years or longer and originated in the middle east. Give them a try!!

Day 332- Nutrition Bite

The most common foods with added caffeine are soft drinks, and the FDA limited the amount to 48 mg per eight ounces. In 1997, Red Bull imported from Austria hit the U.S. with every 8oz of sweetened fortified water containing 80 mg of caffeine. The FDA didn't challenge Red Bull, says caffeine expert Rolland Griffiths of the John Hopkins School of Medicine. "And that started the aggressive marketing of caffeine-containing food products. Caffeine has also been added to candy bars, hot cereal, chewing gum, jelly beans, mints, beer, and more.

~ Nutrition Action Healthletter, March 2008

Sugar Preacher's Experience

Caffeine gives me a headache. The additive is a drug with adverse side effects. If you want a new addiction, drink or eat caffeine-containing products.

Day 331- Nutrition Bite

Take caution with Citrus Red 2! The skin on some of your Florida oranges could possibly be cancer causing. Studies indicate that the coloring may slightly increase the risk of cancer, but the coloring doesn't seep through the orange skin in the pulp. Thus little Red #2 is used; you have only a minuscule increase risk if you eat the peel.

Sugar Preacher's Experience

Food producers are putting color additives in everything. What happened to the naturally grown fruits and vegetable. Growing your own fruits and vegetables is the safest bet. I'm not trying to freak anyone out but trying to create awareness.

Day 330- Nutrition Bite

Food additives that certain people should avoid are artificial colorings (yellow 5), caffeine, carmine, casein, cochineal, gums, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactose, MSG, mycoprotein, quinine, sodium benzoate, sodium caseinate, and sulfites. Some of these foods with additives have been known to cause birth defects, digestive complications, hives, nausea, diarrhea, asthma, etc... A few foods are carbonated drinks, dried fruit, processed potatoes, breakfast pastries, tonic water, meat substitutes, beef stew, cottage cheese, ice cream, and salad dressings.

~ Nutrition Action Healthetter, May 2008

Sugar Preacher's Experience

I know the list might be overwhelming. My caution would be if you have adverse reactions, limit your intake of food additives. Stick with natural brands such as Organic Valley, Amy's, and Kashi.

Day 329- Nutrition Bite

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is an additive people should avoid. MSG is the sodium salt of a common amino acid, glutamic acid. It brings out the flavor of foods. In the 1960s, researchers discovered large amounts fed to infant mices destroyed brain cells. Careful studies have shown that a small number of people are sensitive to large doses of MSG. Reactions include headache, nausea, weakness, and burning sensations in the back of the neck and the forearms. Other ingredients, like natural flavoring and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) also contain glutamate.

~Nutrition Action Healthletter, May 2008

Sugar Preacher's Experience

I try to avoid foods such as chips, frozen entrees, restaurant food, and soups because they are packed with MSG. If you have any adverse reactions eating foods with MSG, avoid it like the plague!

Day 328- Nutrition Bite

Most common food additives that everyone should avoid are acesulfame potassium, aspartame, butylated hydroxyaniosole, artificial colorings (Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Yellow 6), olestra, partially hydrogenated oil, potassium bromate, propyl gallate, saccharin, ans stevia. Many of these additives have been tested to cause cancer. Animal studies have indicated some of these additives also cause tumors, raise cholesterol levels, cause severe diarrhea, and infertility.

~ Nutriton Action Healthletter, May 2008

Sugar Preacher's Experience

The article was very informative indicating which additives you should avoid, cut back, and take with caution. This week my blog will focus on food additives. I really feel much better when I prepare food from scratch. I made my grandma's lentil soup last night(see recipes). It was tasty and curbed my sugar cravings.

Day 327- Nutrition Bite

Heinz Ketchup built its empire on the status of "pure food". As Heinz competitors observed, the way only way to take benzoate out of tomato ketchup was by creating concoctions "overdosed with sugar and vinegar". The new formula for Heinz ketchup contained twice the amount of sugar and vinegar as before and also more salt. The probenzoate lobbyist insisted benzoate was needed for the tomato ketchup to become thicker, sweeter and more cloying. The exponential rise in sugar consumption has to due with overconsumption of foods and addition of sugars and preservatives.

Sugar Preacher's Experience

I have been reading this book about how we are being swindled with processed foods. It is very interesting to read about how food lobbyists influence products on the market. I thought it was also interesting how the historical grocers mixed sand with sugar and sold this to the consumers. I'm glad the FDA wouldn't allow this today.

Day 326- Nutrition Bite

Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer is pushing for increased nutrition aid to the borough's poorer areas with high diet-related health problems. In a new report, Stringer calls for a cap on the number of fast food restaurants, financial incentives to both grocery stores and farmers' markets to offer more local produce, and increased federal funding for SNAP/Food Stamps, the National School Lunch Program, and emergency food assistance programs, especially for areas like Harlem, South Bronx, and Washington Heights. One in six restaurants offer fast food in East and Central Harlem, where 31 percent of residents are obese and 14 percent are diabetic, compared to the Upper East Side's one in 25 restaurants which serve fast food. While Greenmarket Farmers' Market accepts EBT cards, its locations in low-income areas are only open one or two days a week. Agnes Molnar, a consultant with the Food Bank of New York City, supports buying local produce, but notes "people will always have access to unhealthy food. We have to change the culture and not restrict access to fast food."

Sugar Preacher's Experience
When I lived in Harlem and the Upper East Side, I noticed a larger number of fast food restaurants in the low income neighborhoods. The target group for $1 menu are youth, children, and the economic disadvantaged. The $1 meal is loaded with fats, high fructose corn syrup, and MSG. However, some fast food restaurants offer a side salad and a bag of apples on the dollar menu. If you are going to buy food at fast food establishments, choose the healthier options.

Day 325- Nutrition Bite

Survival foods in the Desert
Many poisonous plants live in the desert, and parts of an edible plant can be poisonous. You must make sure the plant is edible or you are better to go hungry. Here are a few edible plants:
1- The beans of the mesquite tree are edible. The bean pods can be cooked and eaten like green beans when they are first forming and soft. After they have dried, they can be ground and cooked like pinto beans. The bark of this tree is dark and rough. The leaves are tiny. This tree has thorns.
2- Desert hackberry is a water indicator plant and has small edible berries. Leaves are small, heart-shaped and off center (one lobe larger than the other) with three main veins.
3- The jojoba has edible nuts which should not be consumed in large quantities. The jojoba is a shrubby plant with dry appearing, grey-green leaves which grow straight up and down rather than flat to the sun.
4- All cactus fruits are edible, though some are not tasty. Most of these fruits have small, almost invisible spines. The fruit should be peeled or burned to get rid of these spines.

Day 324- Nutrition Bite

Essentials for Hiking

• Bring plenty of water (one quart for short hikes-more for longer hikes).
• A water pack is preferable for you to keep your hands free while hiking.
• Wear appropriate footwear, preferably hiking boots.
• Wear light-colored, comfortable clothing.
• Bring a hat and sunblock (SPF 15 minimum).
• Basic first aid supplies.
• Cell phone.

Sugar Preacher's Experience

After surviving a eight hours on the red cliffs in Southern Utah, I treated myself to a slice of key lime pie at Cafe Rio yesterday. My boyfriend and I went to Southern Utah over President's Day. We were planning on going up the canyon trail for a mile or so. We had food, water, and a map. However, we weren't prepared with a flashlight, first aid kit, or cell phone. This day hike turned into an overnight hike. When we made it to the peak, we could see our car in the parking lot below. We estimated about an hour to reach our car. To our surprise, the hour became a hike into the night. We hiked one small peak and came across cliffs, and then were surrounded by more cliffs. We continued hiking well into the dark. When we started injuring ourselves because of the lack of depth perception, we found a tree and a small overhang for shelter from the rain. 

We were staying with my brother and family, who questioned our return. By 11 p.m., my brother drove to the trail head where he saw our car in the lot. He called 911 for help, and the sheriff came immediately. Secondly, the local search and rescue came about 40 minutes later. We were about three football fields from the car. We could see the spotlights and car lights below. We then heard a voice over a loud megaphone, "If you can hear us yell. If you are injured don't yell.  If you have your cell phone call 911." The search and rescue team reached us on the cliff at approximately 2:45 a.m. We were embarrassed that we were not prepared with a cell phone, flashlight, and first aid kit. We could have avoided the problem, if we had been prepared. We were very grateful to the search and rescue team, who were so gracious with their time and service, and to family members who were concerned for our safety. I would have to say this experience was one of the most memorable experiences in my personal history. The theme of the trip is be prepared, and you will avoid being in a pickle.

Day 323- Nutrition Bite

Sun exposure is toxic to the skin when it is unprotected. Skin needs antioxidants to neutralize the free radicals inherent in sun radiation. reports indicate that antioxidants lower the risk of skin cancer.

~"Sweet Death" by Hugo Rodier

Sugar Preacher's Experience
The sun rays were delightful in St. George. I was creating Vitamin D and enjoying the fabulous weather in Southern Utah. Another reason to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, they will help protect you from skin cancer.

Day 322- Nutrition Bite

Stevia is an herb, and its extract can be hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. Stevia has virtually no calories and doesn't raise blood sugar levels. Stevia has been used as a sweetener in other parts of the world for several years. Side effects of stevia are generally mild, such as nausea and a feeling of fullness.

Does this mean that stevia is safe? What we currently know is that it is probably safe in moderate doses. However, until we have more research, women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should probably avoid using stevia. Similarly, people taking diabetes or blood pressure drugs should use stevia with caution because of the risk that it might cause hypoglycemia or hypotension when combined with these drugs.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stevia/AN01733

Sugar Preacher's Experience
Stevia is considered safe. Umm.. I read one article and then another. Mayo clinic is a fairly reliable internet source. It is important to find reliable sources or sources incongruent with your health philosophy.

Day 321- Nutrition Bites

If you don't want to be sugar swindled, here are some suggestions: Buy food fresh and in whole form. Buy your food nearby if you can and whom you trust. Cook it yourself and familiarize yourself with the ingredients. If you know healthy ingredients, you will know when served food with undesirable and unhealthy ingredients. Have the confidence to complain. Above all trust your own senses.

~"Swindled" by Bee Wilson

Sugar Preacher's Experience
I will have to admit that I was almost swindled to day with the chocolate covered strawberries. They look delicious. However, I knew that I had to be true to myself and my 365-day commitment. Happy Valentines Day and don't eat too much yummy chocolates!

Day 320- Nutrition Bites

You don't have to live in a cave and eat lentils to eat healthy according to this doctor. Click on "the sugar is killing you" video for more details!

Sugar Preacher's Experience
The doctor mentions you will boost your energy levels when you eliminate sugar from your diet. I have noticed an increase of energy over the year. Give it a try! It works!!

Day 319- Nutrition Bites

Thwarting Your Sweet Tooth Part B

4-Get rid of the temptation by eliminating sweets in your cupboard at home or in your desk at work.

5- Substitute sweets. If you must have something sweet, pick a fruit or a healthy snack.

6- Keep a journal, and you'll be less likely to reach for those empty calories when you see how they add up in writing.

~Healthy Living Utah

Sugar Preacher's Experience

Refined sugar is empty calories! It is best to avoid it. Once a sugar addict, I am surprised how easy it is to rid myself of the vice.

Day 318- Nutrition Bites

Thwart the Sweet Tooth Part A

1-Cut back on sweets gradually because cold turkey can increase your desire even more. Try cutting out one or two each day.

2-Stay active; such walking, exercising to a video, or taking a spin on the bike when your sweet tooth strikes. By the time you finish, the craving is usually gone and you burned some calories instead.

3-Load up on water by drinking a big glass of water when a craving hits, or have a cup of fruit-flavored herbal tea. That's usually all it takes to make it pass.

Sugar Preacher's Experience

My sister and I ate lunch at a cafeteria in the Huntsman hospital. She was craving a cookie which was on display at the checkout stand. I think it is interesting that junk foods is always conveniently placed as you checkout. My sister inquired whether I was tempted by the cookies. Honestly, I had no desire to eat one of those cookies. The 365-day detox has taught me that you can train and curb your appetites. The thwarting of a sweet tooth can happen quicker than you imagined.

Day 317- Nutrition Bites

One of the most popular ways to meal plan is with "Once a Month Cooking" or bulk cooking for the freezer. The general idea is to set aside one to two days each month and prepare meals all day for the freezer. For the rest of the month, all you need to do is thaw and reheat the prepared meals. There are many variations on OAMC, including the "Busy Cook's Pyramid" which takes advantage of preparing individual ingredients for the freezer but leaving actual preparation until the night the meal is served. Here are some freezer cooking on-line resources.
http://www.cookofthemonth.com/, www.members.aol.com/OAMCLoop,
http://www.blogger.com/www.busycooks.about.com.

Sugar Preacher's Experience
After attending a class on once-a-month cooking, I decided to give this concept a try this month. I'm not sure about eating freezer foods. I'll let you know how it goes.

Day 316- Nutrition Bites

"As to foodstuffs which should be stored, ...the decision is primarily to the individual members...From the standpoint of food production, storage, handling, and the Lord's counsel, wheat (or other grains) should have high priority. Water, of course, is essential. Other basics could include, honey, legumes, milk products or substitutes and salt or its equivalent. The revelation to store food may be essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to people in the days of Noah."

~Ezra Taft Benson

Sugar Preacher's Experience

As I read the quote, I realized food storage is both a spiritual and temporal principle . Food storage is also a principle of faith and obedience. We will be blessed both temporally and spiritually as we acquire and maintain a food storage.

Day 315- Nutrition Bite

The official name of spelt is Triticum aestivum var. spelta. Spelt was originally grown in Iran around 5000 to 6000 B.C. Spelt has been grown in Europe for over 300 years, and spelt has been grown in North America for just over 100 years. Spelt is often used as a feed grain for animals. However, it has gained popularity as a dietary grain due to its nutty flavor, high protein and nutrition content. Spelt vs. Wheat: Spelt is similar to wheat in appearance. However, spelt has a tougher husk than wheat, which may help protect the nutrients in spelt. Spelt flour has a somewhat nuttier and slightly sweeter flavor than whole wheat flour. Spelt contains more protein than wheat, and the protein in spelt is easier to digest. This means that some people who are allergic to wheat may be able to tolerate spelt. Spelt contains gluten just like wheat, thus spelt is not suitable for a gluten-free diet. http://nutrition.about.com/od/grainsandcereals/p/spelt.htm

Sugar Preacher's Experience
This weekend, I was checking out a nutrition functional practice in Kentucky. The shelves were stocked with spelt. We tried the spelt noodles and spelt pumpkin bread. The pumpkin bread was very tasty. I decided to implement more spelt into my bread recipes.

Day 314- Nutrition Bite

Experts recommend eating at least 9-13 servings of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables each day because these free-radical fighters don't remain in the body for long. Buying fresh organic produce and organic processed fruits and vegetables will further leverage by almost one- third. Studies have shown that organic fruits have higher antioxidants than conventionally grown fruits.

-"Taste for Life", September 2008, p.41

Sugar Preacher's Experience
When I eat more fruits and vegetables, I feel healthier with less room for unhealthy snacks. Lately, I've been taking a multivitamin to insure adequate amount of minerals and vitamins in my diet. The multivitamin may not be needed, but I'll try it out for a few months and see the results.

Day 313- Nutrition Bite

Our food is contaminated by chemical fertilizers, pesticides, polluted ground water, additives, plastic packaging, lead cans, aluminum containers, and more. The Unites States does not regulate the use of fertilizers. This means that medical, municipal, and industrial wastes can all be spread over the ground where our crops grow and our cattle graze. The pollution causes problems for weight as wells as health. Environmental toxins can stress the liver, which make it harder to metabolize the fats. As a result, overstressed organ dumps fat and cholesterol back into the bloodstream.

-"Taste for Life", September 2008, p.37

Sugar Preacher's Experience
Toxins in the environment do effect out health. My diet is healthier than the average, and in a recent blood test the results reflected toxins from the environment. My 93 year-old friend had perfect blood. The doctor mentioned her blood was a result of her never leaving her home. The normal person is in and our of a car--not confined to a home. After the comparison of my blood test with my friends, I realized how much pollution exists in our environment and especially with the SLC inversion. The last few weeks, SLC has been among the worst in the nation for air quality.

Day 312- Nutrition Bite

Noni is another superfruit! Noni is ridiculously bitter but diluting it with another juice is a good idea! Clinical trials suggest that noni juice improves energy levels, endurance, flexibility balance, and helps fight fatigue. Noni is also a native of Southeast Asia with a high vitamin C content and rich phytochemicals. Noni has been studied for its antibiotic properties.

Sugar Preacher's Experience
I have heard of noni juice but not tried it. The headquarters are near my home. I am excited to try these new fruits.

Day 311- Nutrition Bite

Mangosteen may be the tastiest fruit you'll ever eat. When cut open, this tropical fruit looks like a billowy white cloud stuffed inside a dark tennis ball. This fruit is a native of Southeast Asia which contains ample amount of anitoxidants and xanthones. Mangosteen has powerful anitmicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antiseptic properties.

-http://www.blogger.com/www.SFMarkets.com

Sugar Preacher's Experience

I have never seen this fruit in my life. I will visit the Asian store and find out if they carry this fruit. It sounds like a superpower fruit!

Day 310- Nutrition Bite

Do good things really come in small packages? Convenience foods and snacking go hand in hand. Unfortunately, many of these convenient snacks go straight to our waistline. When "snack packs" appeared on the market just a few years ago, dieters rejoiced! Now, they can easily count calories and enjoy their favorite snacks at the same time. In fact, the 100-calorie snack packs proved to be so popular that sales have skyrocketed to almost $200 million in under three years. New research published in the Journal of Consumer Research that smaller "snack" packages encouraged participants to eat nearly twice as much, often without hesitation, than people who ate from larger packages. The built-in portion control of snack packages may help some people curb mindless overeating, but this theory works only when you limit yourself to one package. If you consume more than that, the benefits are lost. Read article for more details. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=938

Sugar Preacher's Experience

I've never been able to eat just one snack pack. I usually need to eat two or three to satisfy my hunger. I also think the snackpacks are a bag of chemicals including trans fats, MSG, refined sugars, etc... Stay away from those snack packs or they will go right to your waistline.

Day 309- Nutrition Bites

A common misunderstanding is the effects of fruit on the metabolism. Many feel the sugar in fruit raises blood sugar too much. Actually, fruit delays sugar absorption in the intestines because of the fiber. In the long run, fruits provide us with correct sugars for glycosylation of cell membranes. Fruit also has more antioxidants than other nutrients, which help prevent our cells from oxidation and inflammation.

-"Sweet Death" by Hugo Rodier, M.D.

Sugar Preacher's Experience

Fruit is an excellent natural sugar source. Today, I had a taste of my friend's wedding cake. The cake was too sweet. You can really train your taste buds. In America, we should work on training our taste buds to help eliminate the obesity epidemic.

Day 308- Nutrition Bites

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast or quick-rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon fructose sugar
1/8 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)
1 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 large egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon bread enhancer
1 tablespoon wheat gluten

Cinnamon Smear:
1 cup organic brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour or cake crumbs mixed with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon or to taste

Directions: In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add milk, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and shortening to the yeast mixture. Stir in egg and whole wheat flour; beat 2 minutes. Gradually add bread flour. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.Knead until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes by hand or 10 minutes with dough hook. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to coat. Cover; let rise in a warm (95° to 100°F) place until double in size. Punch down dough; cover and let rise again. Punch down dough again; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Mix smear ingredients together until smooth. Roll dough into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle and spread a thin layer of smear on the dough piece, leaving a 1-inch strip along one of the short edges uncovered. Brush the uncovered 1-inch dough strip with water. Beginning with the short, smeared edge, roll up, pinch to seal the un-smeared edge and cut into 12 rolls.Place rolls in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Cover with a warm, damp towel; let rise in a warm (85°F) place until doubled in size. Bake in 375°F pre-heated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden.
Servings: 12 rolls

Sugar Preacher's Experience
I made these for the neighbors and my friends today. They have minimal sugar, and the whole wheat provides plenty of fiber. If you want a healthier cinnamon roll, try this recipe!